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Customer Support · head to head

HubSpot Service Hub vs Zendesk

HubSpot Service Hub logo

HubSpot Service Hub

Customer Support

Customer service software for scaling companies

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zendesk logo

Zendesk

Customer Support

Champions of customer service

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only HubSpot Service Hub has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: HubSpot Service Hub the free tier is capped at 2 users; Zendesk aI agents operate on per-resolution billing; customers pay only when an AI agent successfully resolves a ticket without escalation
  • They diverge on capability: HubSpot Service Hub covers Ticketing, Zendesk covers Ticket management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HubSpot Service Hub and Zendesk actually diverge.

Attributes where HubSpot Service Hub and Zendesk differ
AttributeHubSpot Service HubZendesk
Starting priceFree$19/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20062007

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Customer Support).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in HubSpot Service Hub

  • Ticketing
  • Customer feedback
  • Conversational bots
  • Reporting
  • HubSpot CRM
  • Zoom
  • GDPR
  • SSO

Only in Zendesk

  • Ticket management
  • Omnichannel support
  • Call center
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Automation
  • Customer satisfaction
  • Jira
  • Shopify

Both cover

  • Knowledge base
  • Live chat
  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Salesforce
  • SOC2

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

HubSpot Service Hub

  • Shared inbox and ticketing for a support teamnot Zendesk
  • Knowledge base and customer self-servicenot Zendesk
  • Live chat and chatbots on a websitenot Zendesk
  • Customer feedback surveys and CSATnot Zendesk
  • Support reporting tied into the HubSpot CRMnot Zendesk

Zendesk

  • Help desk and ticketing system managementnot HubSpot Service Hub
  • Omnichannel customer supportnot HubSpot Service Hub
  • Knowledge base and self-service portalsnot HubSpot Service Hub
  • AI-assisted customer servicenot HubSpot Service Hub

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

HubSpot Service Hub

  • The free tier is capped at 2 users
  • Professional carries a one-off onboarding fee of $1,500, and Enterprise $3,500, on top of the seat price
  • Seats are $90 a month billed monthly against $100 billed annually on Professional, so the annual commitment is not the cheaper option per month
  • AI features run on monthly credits, 500 on Starter and 3,000 on Professional, which do not roll over
  • Extra credits cost $0.010 each once the monthly allocation is spent

Zendesk

  • AI agents operate on per-resolution billing; customers pay only when an AI agent successfully resolves a ticket without escalation
  • Copilot and Contact Center features available as separate add-ons at £50+/agent/month
  • Advanced routing, workforce engagement, and approval workflows limited to Enterprise tier
  • Highest tier requires sales consultation and custom pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

HubSpot Service Hub

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Contact management
    • Ticketing
    • Team email
  • Starter$10/month
    • Simple ticket automation
    • Multiple ticket pipelines
    • Live chat
  • Professional$100/month
    • Help desk workspace
    • Customer success workspace
    • Customer agent
  • Enterprise$150/month
    • Skill-based routing
    • Conditional SLAs
    • Customer journey analytics

Zendesk

$19/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Zendesk review.

Which should you pick?

Choose HubSpot Service Hub if

  • You need ticketing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want customer feedback.
HubSpot Service Hub review

Choose Zendesk if

  • You need ticket management.
  • You also want omnichannel support.
Zendesk review

Questions people ask

Is HubSpot Service Hub or Zendesk better?
Neither clearly leads. HubSpot Service Hub starts at Free and Zendesk at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HubSpot Service Hub or Zendesk?
HubSpot Service Hub has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HubSpot Service Hub and $19/month for Zendesk.
Does HubSpot Service Hub or Zendesk run on more platforms?
HubSpot Service Hub runs on Web, Ios, Android. Zendesk runs on Web.
Can I use HubSpot Service Hub for free?
Yes. HubSpot Service Hub has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zendesk starts at $19/month.
What is HubSpot Service Hub best used for?
HubSpot Service Hub is most often used for shared inbox and ticketing for a support team, knowledge base and customer self-service, live chat and chatbots on a website, customer feedback surveys and csat. Of those, shared inbox and ticketing for a support team and knowledge base and customer self-service are not what Zendesk is typically brought in for.
What can HubSpot Service Hub do that Zendesk cannot?
HubSpot Service Hub covers Ticketing, Customer feedback, Conversational bots, Reporting. Zendesk covers Ticket management, Omnichannel support, Call center, Analytics & reporting. Both handle Knowledge base, Live chat, Slack, Microsoft Teams.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HubSpot Service Hub: How much does HubSpot Service Hub cost per user?

Free plan at $0/month. Starter at $10/month per seat (new customers; regular $20/month), Professional at $100/month per seat, Enterprise at $150/month per seat.

Source
Zendesk: What is included in the free trial?

You'll have access to all features on the Zendesk Customer Service Suite Professional plan for 14 days, with Copilot included by default.

Source
HubSpot Service Hub: What is the free trial length for HubSpot Service Hub?

A 14-day free trial is available for evaluating Service Hub functionality before commitment to a paid plan.

Source
Zendesk: How is Zendesk pricing calculated?

Base subscription pricing is determined by your selected plan tier and the number of agent seats needed. Additional costs include usage-based features like App Builder and Voice, plus optional add-ons.

Source
HubSpot Service Hub: Does HubSpot Service Hub have a free permanent plan?

Yes, the free plan includes contact management, ticketing, and team email features at $0/month with no credit card required.

Source
Zendesk: What are the contract terms?

Zendesk subscriptions are month to month, annual, or multi-year. Annual billing typically costs less than monthly payments.

Source
Zendesk: Can I upgrade or downgrade my plan?

Yes, changes may apply immediately or at renewal depending on your subscription terms.

Source
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